REASON FOR LOSS:

The night of the 19th – 20th August 1941, saw Feldwebel. Alfons Koster and his crew returning to the Cambridgeshire area again, here at 01.05hrs they shot down Wellington bomber N3005 from No 11O.T.U. just as it turned on its landing lights and began its approach at Bassingbourn. Fiercely ablaze the 11 O.T.U. crew wrestled with the crippled aircraft until it crashed into the chalk slopes north east of Barrington at 01.05hrs.

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Victor – Fw. Alfons Koster (Brownless) ccccccccccc ccccccThe victim – Pilot F/Sgt Cyril Andrews (JEH).

Of the crew F/Sgt C. G. Andrews (Pilot) Sgt R. F. Gutteridge (Pilot) Sgt R. H. Hazell (Pilot) were all killed but Sgt R. G. P. Capham (Gunner) would survive the ordeal. The first two named died of their injuries at 0400 in Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Sgt Hazell was killed outright. Sgt Capham escaped relatively lightly and he was treated in SSQ Bassingbourn for minor cuts and bruises and the after-effect of shock. Sadly, Ronald Capham lost his life aged just 19 on the 30.07.42 whilst serving with No.149 Squadron. He now rests in the Rheinberg War Cemetery. Collective Grave No.8 J. 12-18. Wellington N3005 was the seventh 11 O.T.U. loss in the Bassingbourn area to be destroyed by NJG 2.

Wellington N3005 crashed into a field known as “The Beet Field” and is remembered by 94 year old Harry Mulberry........in 2009 he recalled the events of 68 years ago to the author :- Harry stated that the Wellington crashed to the North of the then quarry behind a thick hedge and initially not much could be seen at first. The crash site was quickly cordoned off and armed guards placed on the field. Apparently the front of the aircraft had smashed itself and lay on the surface and was badly burned. The fuselage lay on the field badly broken up and burned but the tail section was fairly complete. The body of one of the dead Pilots was still sitting in a seat having been badly burned in the blaze. Many years later when the beet field was skimmed of its top soil wreckage began to be found and Harry stated that it finally ran out at a depth of about 8 feet. After this the site was quarried out and has since been refilled, re-excavated and levelled out several times due to various quarry related activities. One local gentleman some years after the incident found a cigarette lighter in the soil.

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Sgt Richard Hazell now rests in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Turville (King).ccccccRichards grave (King).cccccccccccccccccccccc

St. Mary’s, Turville, Buckinghamshire, England.

Burial detail:

Cyril George Andrews; Oxford Cemetery (Botley).
Grave reference; Plot J/1. Grave 193. Son of George and Nellie Andrews, of Oxford.

Ronald Frederick Guttridge; Morden Cemetery.
Grave reference.Sec. B. Grave 3442.Son of Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Guttridge, of Battersea, London.

Richard Henry Hazell; Turville (St.Mary) Churchyard.
Grave reference. Sec. J. Grave 18. Son of Henry Hazell, and of Lily Maud Hazell, of Turville.

Researched by, Julian Evan Hart and David King. Compiled by Melvin Brownless. March 2014.